NEWS

Blankenship Named Recipient of RSU Constitution Award

When it comes to the
Constitution, G.T. Blankenship believes in following in the footsteps of the
founding fathers.

"I believe the
Constitution says what it meant to say; I don't believe it should be a living
document," said Blankenship, a self-described "strict constructionist."

"Too
often, the provisions of the founding fathers in our Constitution have been
eroded by judicial interpretation," he said. "The Constitution is the most
perfect document we have and should be followed to the letter as amended through
the years."

A former Oklahoma
attorney general, member of the state House of Representatives and a life-long
attorney, Blankenship will be the 17th recipient of the Constitution
Award at Rogers State University.

Blankenship, who also
is chairman of the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents, will receive the
award at a ceremony and luncheon on Sept. 15 on the RSU campus in Claremore.

He was selected to
receive the prestigious award by the RSU Constitution Award Board of Governors.
Marian P. Opala, vice-chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court and a member
of the Board of Governors, will present Blankenship with the award. Opala
received the award in 1996.

"We are proud and honored to
present Regent Blankenship with this distinguished award," said RSU President
Joe Wiley. "He embodies the virtue of respect that citizens of our country have
for their Constitution."

Each fall since 1987,
RSU has presented the Constitution Award to an Oklahoman who has demonstrated a
strong commitment to the principles of the Constitution through his or her
life's work.

The award has been presented to Carl
Albert, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Henry Bellmon,
former Oklahoma governor and U.S. senator; Adm. William J. Crowe, former
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom;
David Boren, president of the University of Oklahoma, and former U.S. senator
and Oklahoma governor; Judge James O. Ellison, senior U.S. district court judge
for the Northern District of Oklahoma; and Alex Adwan, senior editor for the
Tulsa World. Last year, the award was presented to Judge Thomas R. Brett, senior
U.S. district court judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

Blankenship received a law
degree from OU in 1954. In 1960, he was elected to the state House of
Representatives and served as minority floor leader from 1964-66.

During his time in the House,
Blankenship was an integral part in uncovering one of Oklahoma's worst political
scandals. In 1965, Speaker of the House J.D. McCarty appointed a special
committee to investigate rumors of bribery involving members of the Oklahoma
Supreme Court. After the committee failed to bring forward evidence of guilt,
Blankenship presented his fellow House members with information that confirmed
the bribes. His announcement caused "pandemonium" on the House floor, he said,
and resulted in the resignation of one justice and the impeachment, conviction
and removal of another by the Oklahoma Senate.

Subsequently, Blankenship was
elected attorney general of the State of Oklahoma and served from 1966 until
1970.

Since then, he has been in
private legal practice in Oklahoma City and has served as chairman of the board
of the Bank of Nichols Hills. He also has served as chairman of the State
Centennial Committee, was on the board of directors for the U.S. Olympic
Festival, and has been active in the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.

Blankenship was appointed to
the OU Board of Regents by Gov. Henry Bellmon in 1990 and was reappointed by
Gov. Frank Keating in 1997. He currently is in his last of 14 years (two terms)
on the OU Board of Regents, the governing board for RSU.

He and his wife Libby live in
Oklahoma City and have three adult children and seven grandchildren.

The
Constitution Award luncheon and ceremony are sponsored by the Bank of Commerce.
Tickets are $20 per person. To purchase tickets or get more information, call
the RSU development office at (918) 343-7773.